It’s the ultimate princess name, having been worn by royals in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, France, and Scotland. It’s also a versatile literary choice used by authors from Shakespeare to Jane Austen to Emily Bronte (and more recently, by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series). But if its top-10 status has you looking further afield, you’ve come to the right place. (more…)

In the first grade this year, we have girls named Kaitlyn, Kayla (two of them), Kaylee, Hayley, Kylie, Riley, Callie, Chloe, Carla, Lara, Kari, and Kira. While the only duplicate name is Kayla, it’s quite easy to get the others confused, as they all sound so similar.

In fact, most names have “sound-alikes” — names similar enough in quality that one could serve as as substitute for the other. For example, if you like Sophia but want something less common, you might be drawn to Safiya, Sophronia, or Serena. If you love Olivia, you just might like Ophelia, Octavia, or Lydia. If you love Ava, a name like Eve, Ada, or Aoibhe might be to your taste.

There are a few names, though, that have a sound all their own. They feel distinctive, and no other name has quite all their qualities. While I suppose that could technically be said about any name, here are a few that feel particularly special: